BURGOMASTER MAX.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19856, 28 January 1928, Page 11

BURGOMASTER MAX.

WARTIME HERO IN LONDON. GUEST OF LORD MAYOR. (Received January 27, 7.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON, Jan. 27. Burgomaster Adolphe Max, of Brussels, whose defiance of the Germans during the occupation in wartime stirred the world, arrived in London to-day as the guest of the Lord Mayor, Sir Charles Batho. lieis staying at the Mansion House. Til. Adolphe Max was born in 1369, and studied law at the university. _ Ho practised as a lawyer and also did journalistic work. In December, 1909, ho was appointed burgomaster of Brussels in which capacity he proved a skilful administrator In August, 1914, when the Germans were approaching the city he displayed the greatest sangfroid, and did everything in his power to allay the fears of the inhabitants. He met the German forces outside Brussels on August 20, protested against the terms they had imposed on the city, and finally got them to waive their demand that the burgomaster and 100 citizens should be given up as hostages. He declined to sign an agreement to act only under the authority of the German Military Governor of Brussels, and reserved his freedom of action. Ho also urged the inhabitants to display the Belgian flag. . . Max issued many bold and spirited announcements to the citizens, a notable one being connected with the German demand that the Belgian flags should be removed from the houses; it concluded with the words: " Attendons patiemment l'heure de la reparation." (Let us patiently await the hour of reparation'.) This led to his arrest, but ho was soon released, only, however, to bo arrested again in consequence of a dispute with the Germans as to the amount of the requisition to be paid by Brussels. He was taken to Berlin where he was imprisoned. On October 30, 1918, he was interned at Goslar in the Harz, but managed to escape just after the armistice. Brussels welcomed him back with tremendous enthusiasm.